Summary of The Thirty Million Line Problem

This is an AI generated summary. There may be inaccuracies.
Summarize another video · Purchase summarize.tech Premium

00:00:00 - 01:00:00

The "Thirty Million Line Problem" refers to the extreme complexity of modern software that makes it difficult to improve performance and stability. Despite significant hardware advances, software has become less reliable and more frustrating. The lecture argues that the problem arose due to the lack of simplicity and coherence in hardware interfaces, leading to bloated code and layers of legacy or modernized software. The solution lies in creating simplified hardware interfaces and reducing the number of lines of code by removing bad code from systems. This could lead to an improvement in efficiency, reliability, security, and performance. The lecture concludes by highlighting the potential to create a piece of hardware that can be directly programmed, much like the original 1991 Linux, with simplified interfaces and a focus on direct coding.

00:00:00 In this section, the lecturer discusses the extreme difference between the hardware of the past and the modern hardware we have today. He notes that hardware developers have made fantastic gains in the past 28 years, delivering great improvements in density. However, he refers to the software that we use today as way worse than it has ever been, and the experience of using a computer in 2015 or 2018 compared to earlier times is less serene and less pleasant. He points out that one of the only issues with software from the past has been fixed with virtual memory protection, and in exchange for the solution of this issue, the software of today has become more frustrating and less user-friendly.
00:05:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the frustrating experience of using software today, which is plagued by viruses, software instability, and unwanted updates. These problems are so widespread that they cause personal computers to become nearly unusable, leading users to want to throw their machines out the window. While computer hardware has improved significantly over recent years, software doesn't seem to get much better, with long load times, spinning progress bars, and crashes still prevalent. The speaker questions why, despite being able to make software more easily and with more focus on reliability, it often seems more unreliable today.
00:10:00 In this section, the speaker argues that the increasing complexity of software is a major reason for issues like poor performance and high failure rates. He uses the example of the Linux operating system, which has grown from an original size of so small that it's not visible on a chart to over 18 million lines of code in the kernel alone. The speaker then asserts that even a simple operation like reading a text file requires a vast number of lines of code to be functioning properly, estimating that it is not less than 56 million lines of code. This makes it challenging for developers to identify the root cause of problems and improve the performance or stability of the software.
00:15:00 In this section, the speaker explains that the "Thirty Million Line Problem" is a massive issue due to the giant bloated mass of code that is needed to run even the simplest applications. This problem is due to the operating systems and routers that are necessary to run anything on the internet, along with the firmware, setup, and other elements that make the code for a single task balloon to over 50 million lines of code even with conservative estimates. Even if programs like Apache, PHP, WordPress, and my sequel were eliminated, the problem would not be reduced by half. The issue dates back to the 1980s and 1990s when every program you bought on a home computer came with its own custom operating system.
00:20:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the history of operating systems and how it has evolved to the present day. The past boasted an abundance of operating systems which were easy to create due to capable and advanced hardware, but this has changed as we transitioned to the present era where only three operating systems exist as consumer operating systems. The speaker notes that people no longer possess the ability to make operating systems as it has become a hobbyist project at best with no chance of it being shipped as a piece of software. The shift to this current state of operating systems was not a natural one, and the speaker questions the reasons behind it.
00:25:00 In this section, the speaker explains how the problem of complexity arose in the computing world by tracing back the development of USB and hard-rugged graphics. USB was introduced in 1995 as a wire protocol for serial interfaces which allows anyone to do something with the hardware, however, it grants no certainty as to how anyone may make a device. Similarly, hard-rugged graphics, which were made mandatory in 1996, mandates a graphics accelerator of completely opaque design, and the interface that allows developers to communicate with it will be largely dictated by the interface specification. These conditions led to a new world whereas there was no certainty or simplicity, which made it hard for operating systems to be produced.
00:30:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the possibility of reviving the world of computing from the 1980s, but explains that it would require the help of hardware manufacturers to integrate components into single modules to support portable and small form-factor computing. The integration of components into these single modules is a common way of designing computers now, but it is largely a hardware solution. The speaker's proposal suggests extending the conceptual model used for the x86 or x64 eisah to cover an entire system on a chip, making the design of the hardware interface for an entire architecture robust, predictable, consistent, testable, and known. Although this proposal is often met with skepticism, the speaker argues that it is possible and desirable.
00:35:00 In this section, the speaker argues that creating an instruction set architecture (ISA) for GPUs, similar to the x86 ISA for CPUs, is not only feasible but also pays off immense dividends. Currently, the separation between software and hardware creates layers of additional legacy or modernized software, resulting in untestable, unreliable, insecure, and unmaintainable systems. However, with a specific ISA for GPUs and revisions every few years, testing would be more reliable, and bugs would be real bugs in the hardware, forcing companies to introduce actual compliance like Intel, making sure what they ship actually works. The user could fix any bugs that occur in their software and test it as it runs the same on someone else's system, making field testing not necessary.
00:40:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the benefits of removing lines of code from systems, including improved efficiency, reliability, security, and performance. By eliminating bad code that sits between the user's machine and the hardware, developers can create a more symmetric environment that reduces the chances of an exploit possibility. Additionally, by limiting the amount of software that can be shipped with hardware, hardware companies can focus on designing hardware based on a set of guidelines, resulting in a system that is more efficient, reliable, and secure. Although this may be a challenging approach, it is currently being implemented by Intel with their x86 eisah and XS t4i.
00:45:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the six points needed to attain direct coding with reliable hardware. The first point is compatibility, which requires the hardware vendors to maintain a standardized interface. Secondly, the hardware must have reasonable performance capabilities. While it's possible to get fully documented ISOs SOCs like Raspberry Pi today, it is not enough for a consumer setting. Thirdly, the hardware must be simple, with a simplified interface that is easy to use. Documentation and tutorials are also necessary, along with publicity. Achieving this involves hardware designers agreeing on a SOC architecture and simplifying the way the hardware is used. Surfers can only help determine whether the interfaces are easy and efficient, but the rest is up to getting hardware developers to buy into the idea. Once hardware with these specifications exists, the speaker suggests that they can help with the ring buffer design and other aspects necessary for easy and reliable programming.
00:50:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the potential for creating a piece of hardware that can be directly programmed like the original Linux was. He believes that software developers would be excited and willing to contribute to such a project. He suggests that a modern hardware equivalent of the original 1991 Linux could be created with 20,000 lines of assembly code, and that this is something that hardware companies like Intel can achieve. The focus should be on simplifying the interfaces to the hardware so that all interactions are fundamentally just the CPU writing to memory and getting memory back, opening up new possibilities for programmers.
00:55:00 In this section of the video, the speaker presents two hypothetical situations to explain the importance of improving the x64 ISO. The first situation is a negative one, where Linux would not have happened if it weren't for the ability to write software in a straightforward and direct way. This would have led to a world dominated by Microsoft, with all servers and desktop computers controlled by one single corporation. The second situation is that another Linus could emerge in the future, but they would choose a different platform, such as ARM, due to its simplicity and coherence. This could result in a new lineage of computing, and missing out on this trend could be detrimental for a hardware vendor such as Intel.

01:00:00 - 01:45:00

The Thirty Million Line Problem is a result of the lack of concision in programmability, leading to unreliable, restrictive and bulky operating systems that are a necessity for program execution. By adopting a System-on-a-Chip (SOC) approach, software can be processed directly with instruction sets provided for by the hardware, thus increasing software power and in turn, hardware developers would benefit hugely. The speaker also argues for industry-wide standardization of hardware interfaces between CPUs and GPUs to create a heterogeneous computing environment, accepting the limitation of hardware evolution going forward, without sacrificing the innovation of computing. Building a stable Eisah, which allows developers to program the hardware directly, would provide a significant boost to software power and make hardware vendors more relevant than ever.

01:00:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the potential benefits of embracing the SOC (system-on-a-chip) approach to computing. One potential benefit is that creating software for a system could be as easy as making an application, which could lead to a competitive marketplace for operating systems as there would be more options available than just Windows and Linux. Another potential benefit is that running software on x64 could require no OS and be directly tied to the hardware, which could make hardware vendors more relevant in determining the software and application available on a device. This would provide hardware developers with an advantageous position and allow them to provide real games to customers. In essence, the SOC approach could lead to huge potential dividends for hardware developers who comply with this approach.
01:05:00 In this section, the speaker notes that it's unclear what one should target, and there are no direct performance gains for applications running on our current hardware. However, by constructing and producing a stable eisah (a semiconductor intellectual property core or instruction set architecture) that allows developers to program the hardware directly, the software power will significantly increase. This would help revolutionize real home computing, and major tech companies like Intel and Samsung would benefit from this, offering real monetary benefits to commercial companies in the end. It would create new market opportunities such as consoles and set-top boxes with significant design wins.
01:10:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the need for hardware vendors to change how they operate in order to create positive outcomes such as the creation of Linux. The speaker acknowledges that such a change cannot happen without major hardware vendors changing the way they do things. They explain that, although well-received, they understood that generating enough demand for a new software in hardware vendors, would be very difficult. The onus would thus be upon the software community to generate momentum and show what roadmap might look like to help articulate why it's important for hardware vendors to make the change. Hardware companies cannot implement such changes on a whim, they need support and time to incorporate new ideas.
01:15:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the challenges faced by publicly traded companies when it comes to creating an operating system that can cater to modern devices. While small operating systems with 20,000 lines of code exist, such systems do not offer modern consumer features, which is the real challenge. The speaker believes that the first step towards solving this problem is creating awareness about the issue and creating a narrative around it. In terms of security, the speaker believes that compartmentalized systems, similar to early Amiga computers, can be highly secure, as it makes it difficult for viruses to attack them.
01:20:00 In this section, the speaker argues that the more compartmentalized a program is, and the less it relies on standard components, the harder it is for virus writers to carry out security breaches. He suggests that not having everything run on a giant 60 million line exploit target will remove a significant number of potential ways for people to break into systems. The speaker also highlights that the benefit of an eisah is that it defines the memory format for the things that hardware can do, and any language can compile to it. While there may still be problems in programming languages that need to be addressed, the speaker believes that the current big problem lies in all the stuff that's not x64, such as the USB and graphics controllers that need to be programmed.
01:25:00 In this section, the speaker explains that the lack of conciseness in programmability is what leads to the Thirty Million Line Problem, and that it is not about generic programming. The current problem with initializing a graphics card, for example, could be greatly simplified if it were as simple as just uploading bytecode for them to run, rather than having to deal with tons of libraries and drivers. The hardware itself is becoming simpler to program, as GPUs become more programmable and less special-purpose. By treating it as a unified instruction set, GPUs can be made simpler, similar to a modern x64 chip.
01:30:00 In this section, the speaker argues that the main reason why software and drivers are bloated is because of the path we took to get there. In the past, a lot of cruft in between mushy, almost barely working stuff allowed hardware to experiment, and that was necessary until we began realizing that GPUs will be basically CPUs. Despite the need to take that path of development, the speaker believes that we need to move towards hardware eisah (handles only one thing) or at least a big decrease in interoperability. He states that having a hardware eisah can only increase the chances of interoperability rather than decrease it, as it can increase the ease with which a program can run on multiple hardware. He also suggests using a hypervisor to run every program on its own OS, enabling multiple programs to run simultaneously without issues.
01:35:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the need for innovation in operating systems in order to move away from the current state of unreliable, restrictive, and bulky OSs that are imperative to program execution. The speaker argues that in a future where hardware is more specialized, the OS will become less relevant, and a more restrictive version of multitasking could be beneficial. A standardized OS layer could be established in which everyone could agree on the minimum library needed to communicate with the OS. This would allow for a minimal OS that everyone has access to, and software compatibility would no longer be an issue. Furthermore, the speaker mentions that there is not as much of a need for multitasking as previously thought, and different OSs for different purposes could be desirable.
01:40:00 In this section, the speaker argues for the need to standardize on interfaces between CPUs and GPUs in order to create a heterogeneous computing environment that accepts the limitation of hardware evolution going forward. While acknowledging the drawbacks of switching to an ice ax (standardized hardware interface), the speaker believes that the threshold has been crossed where the real problem facing computing innovation is the API and cruft in the system. The Amiga GPU is cited as an example of a previous successful heterogeneous computing environment that had programmable graphic-specific units and a specialized memory structure.
01:45:00 In this section, the speaker summarizes the points made in the chat about how switching to an ISA doesn't stop innovation but just slows it down as people have to agree and comply with certain specifications. The x86 ISA has been innovated and revved many times. However, the benefits of switching to an ISA should outweigh the drawbacks. The speaker also addresses a question about why the Amiga didn't evolve since 1985 and counters it with an argument that switching to an ISA doesn't freeze the design but just reduces the speed of innovation. Finally, the speaker reveals that he is not in contact with Intel about this issue.